PatchMD?

Has anyone used these for more than a few years? I'm looking to people that have tried it and it helped them maintain or improve their labs.

All the reviews I saw on line are from new people that were so happy that they did not have to take pills anymore-thats great, but it's important to keep up your levels long term. So again, from long term DSers- are you using the PatchMD and have you had levels.

I'm thinking about it for the iron- I hate having to take iron (alone, 1 hour before eating, 2 hours before calcium)...a patch could be awesome for that.

Scott

I'm not a long term dser but I have used the patches since surgery. I need to take orals in addition to them. It really helps me with the calcium. 

There is a DS Patch Users group on FB.  A few have done well on them but most have not.  Most of the people still using the patches take oral vites too.

Can you post a link to the group, please

I plan to do a little research on this as well and will let you know what I find out. My Father's a doctor and feels absorption of Omega 3's through a patch doesn't sound right, but he's a Psychiatrist, so not his specialty. Bypassing the digestive system sounds like the holy grail for us DS'ers. If the technology isn't 100% as of now, perhaps it will be in the near future.

This is coming from a sleever, so discount my experience if necessary because I know I don't mal-absorb anything. 

Anyways, Ive been a vegetarian since I was a child and continued after the sleeve. Because of this I have to take an iron supplement. When my sleeve started giving me GERD the liquid iron supplement I took felt like drinking lava. I tried the patch for a couple months but I just dipped lower. So I think its a great idea, its just not there yet. 

I found this on Obesity Help, http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/rny/5365115/PatchMD-is-Bun k

The general consensus is PatchMD is bunk. A Physicist even chimed in to explain why. Sad news.

This online store has tons of great reviews for it, but the reviews look bogus. Every product has the same number of reviews, very fishy. It's also very easy for reviews to be faked.

I don't see anything on PatchMD that mentions independent studies done to prove their products effectiveness either. That's a red flag.

If anyone has a link to the Facebook group where they're talking about this, please share. I would love to learn more...and hope I'm wrong because a patch delivery system sounds like it would be great for us DS'ers.

I thought they were bunk,but I figured I'd ask. It seems like the concensus is that there is not enough credible research to back them up.

My doctor, Dr. David Syn, in Lubbock, TX recommends them.  He has patients that have been using them for over 2 years and are getting good lab results.  The nutritionist told me that it is very important to establish a routine and follow it loyally.  She said the only people that have problems with the patch are the ones who don't use them like prescribed.  She told me this just last Friday--he's kinda the foremost expert in our area.  I haven't had my surgery yet--I was there for a pre-op visit and I asked about vitamins.

Scotty,

Have you tried ProferrinES?  It's a heme iron and can be taken with food or calcium.  Cut them in 1/2.  It worked for a few years to keep my iron up, but last year ended up with infusions.  Iron levels are still up and it's been 16mo.  I was using Vitalady's Tender Iron (Carbonyl) and her Poly with the Proferrin and iron was still slipping.  I'm trying to add in more red meat, already eat a lot of protein, but adding in a steak or two a week plus jerky.

On a side note, I made Chia pudding today with peanut butter and a tablespoon or two of honey, no need for marshmallows to sweeten.